COVID-19 Updates:
Florida Executive Order
CARES Act - Benefits for Individuals
Our firm is tracking COVID-19 Orders and Benefits as they unfold. We are open and actively serving existing and new clients.
FLORIDA EXECUTIVE ORDER
On April 1, 2020, Governor Ron Desantis issued Executive Order 20-91 which essentially created a stay at home rule for the entire state of Florida. However, there are many exceptions to the order. Here are the basics of the order as they exist today.
- Safer at Home – This section of the order states that all “senior citizens” and individuals with certain underlying medical condition “shall” stay at home and take “all measures” to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Senior citizen in Florida is defined as a person who is 60 years of age or older.
In addition, ALL persons shall limit their movements and personal interactions outside their homes to those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities. So, if you provide or need a service listed on the essential services list, you can travel outside your home.
There are exceptions made in this order and prior orders for certain “essential activities.” Order 20-91 says the following activities are “essential”:
A. Attending religious services conducted in churches, synagogues and houses
of worship.
B. Participating in recreational activities (consistent with social distancing
guidelines) such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, running, or
swimming.
C. Taking care of pets; and
D. Caring for or otherwise assisting a loved one or friend.
Prior orders, which do not appear to be superseded by this order also include grocery shopping and health care visits.
- Essential Services: There is an extensive list of essential services that are listed in the order or incorporated by reference to a Miami-Dade County list. A link to the full list is provide here and certain important ones are listed below:
A. Healthcare providers. including, but not limited to, hospitals, doctors' and dentists' offices, urgent care centers, clinics, rehabilitation facilities, physical therapists, mental health professionals, psychiatrists, therapists, and pharmacies
B. Grocery stores and farmers markets, including stores that sell non-grocery products
C. Gas stations and auto supplies
D. Banks and related financial institutions
E. Hardware stores
F. Contractors
G. Laundromats
H. Restaurants, but with the limitation that they can only be take out, delivery or curbside service
I. Landscape and pool service businesses
J. Open construction sites
K. Factories, manufacturing facilities
CARES ACT –BENEFITS FOR INDIVIDUALS
The CARES act also provides several benefits to individuals, not just businesses. Here are the highlights of some of the most important, but possibly least understood.
Direct Cash Payments: Most individuals earning less that $75,000 will get a one-time cash payment of $1,200 for an individual, $2,400 for a married couple filing jointly and $500 for each child. They are based on either your 2018 or 2019 tax filings. If you receive Social Security benefits and don’t file taxes, you should still get a check.
Protection from Eviction/Foreclosure: The CARES Act codifies protections for some homeowners against foreclosure and some renters against eviction. If you are experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus, you will be granted forbearance on your federally backed mortgage loan for up to 60 days, with the potential for up to four 30-day extensions. Foreclosures may not begin for 60 days from Mar. 18, 2020. No fees, penalties, or added interest may be charged on delayed payments.
If you are a landlord with a federally backed mortgage on a multifamily home, you have similar protection that allows a 30-day forbearance on payments and up to two 30-day extensions.
If you are a renter in a multifamily home with a federally backed mortgage loan, you may not be evicted solely for failure to pay rent for a 6-month period. You also may not be charged fees or penalties for not paying rent.
The major cautions are that to be eligible for these protections, the mortgage must be federally backed whether you are a renter or owner. This can be determined by going online Here is the link.
Other mortgage lenders and landlords may also provide relief at this time but are not mandated to do so.
Extra Unemployment Compensation: The CARES act expanded who is eligible for unemployment assistance, increased the benefit and allowed for a longer collection period. There is an extra benefit of $600/week on top of the base benefit for four months. It also adds an extra 13 weeks of unemployment insurance. Also, there is the Temporary Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that allows people who are self-employed, free lancers, independent contactors and gig workers to collect unemployment compensation.
There are numerous other benefits that will be covered in the next communication.
We understand that this is a stressful and confusing time. We welcome your questions at 239-642-1485 or info@patrickneale.com.
The information provided herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The publication of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and Patrick Neale & Associates. The reader should not act or refrain from acting based upon the information contained in this article without first contacting an attorney. The hiring of an attorney is a decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements or this article.